Gun perforator



Dec. 16, 1941. L. SPENCER GUN PERFORATOR Filed Feb. les, 1941 Z f 9 4 E656 INVENTOR QMUA.

Patented Deco l16, 1941 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUN PERFonATon' f Lloyd spencer, Los Angeles, Calif., i Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles,

poration of Delaware assignor to Calif., a cor- Appucation February e, 1941, serial Ne. 377,596

ldjClaims.

' and cartridge socket. which may be loaded before being assembled with other .gun units; Third, to provide a sectional gun perforator iu which the gun sections or units are particularly simple and economical of manufacture, and any one of .'the gun units may be readily removed and replaced in the event it should become damaged;

Fourth, to provide a gun perforatr in which the axial length of each gun unit isminimized so that a maximum number of units may-be incorporated in a gun of given length and weight; and

Fifth, to provide a gun perforator which is adapted to be red electrically and which incorporates a novel arrangement for electrically connecting the gun units individually with a source of electrical energy.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l-is an elevational view of my gun perforator; l

Figure 2 is an end elevational vview of one of the gun units;

rel portion to form steps or shoulders 4. The upper and lower corners of the barrelportion, which are extended from the steps 4, are provided with axially directed ribs having faces which are parallel to the steps 4. Complementary recesses 6 are provided in the corners of the breech portion 2. The breech and barrel portions are so proportioned that the breech end' of Vone gun unit is adapted to t upon the barrel portion of an .adjacent gun unit, as shown best in Figures 1 and 3, the steps, ribs and .recesses interlocking. t

'I'he barrel 3 is provided with a diametrically 'extending gun bore 1 disposed at right angles to the plane of the steps 4. The gun bore i extends into the breech portion 2 and is intersect ed by a` vertically extending cartridge bore or socket 8 which extends past the gun bore but is opened to only one .end of the breech portion.

The gun bore I receives a bullet which is covered with a sealing plug I formed of soft material, but capable of preventing the entrance of well duid. 1

The cartridge bore 8 receives a cartridge il. The cartridge is, for the purposes of this application, conventional and comprises a shell of C'elluloid or analogous material lled with an explosive. An electricallyresponsive fuse which includes a contact clip I3 is provided in the upper end of the cartridge. The outer end of the cartridge bore is slightly counterbored and receives a sealing plug Iii.` The sealing plug comprises a relatively heavy base portion I5 and a skirt or rim portion I6. The center of the base I5 is provided with a contact I'I adapted to engage th'e contact clip I3.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through 3-3 of4 "Figure 2, showing two of the gun units andthe manner in which they fit; K Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through @-4 of Figure 3, showing the electrical connection between the conductor cable and cartridge; and y Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional View ythrough 5 5 of Figure 4, showing the conductor cable and surrounding parts of the gun unit.

My gun perforator includes a plurality of gun units. Each gun unit I is in the form of a cyimdricai disk or mock which is divided' diametri-` cally into a breech portion 2 and a barrel portion 3 which are, therefore, semi-cylindrical. The

breech portion 2 has greater axial length than the barrel portion .and therefore extends above and below the upper and lower sides of the bar- 55 Formed integrally with or secured to the base portion of the sealing plug I4 is a circular gasket I8 of larger diameter than the plug. .'I'he gasket I8 includes a conductor tongue I9 extending radially therefrom and' terminating in acontact 20,'which'wi1l be described in more detail hereinafter. The gasket, as well as the surfaces of the sealing plug I4 which would otherwise contact the gun unit, is covered withva thin but tough insulation 2 I. Both the gasket and insulation material are made as thin as possible. 'I'he skirt or rim of the sealing plug spreads outwardly when the explosive cartridge is discharged to prevent any flow of gases around the plug and therefore localizes the pressure area between theguri unitsto the'diameter of the sealing plug I4.

On either side of the cartridge bore 8 the breech portion 2 is provided with .threaded sockets 22 and, similarly, on either side of the gun ets 2a. v 23 of o'n'e' gun unit and into the threadedsockets vductor tongue I9, from a corresponding -rnarginal walls of the which in turn is connected gun umts, each being be stacked end to end; means for' securing said A gun 'units each gun unit.

havinga laterally ally directed. cartridge bore, covered by the adbore th barrel s'is prcvidedwith bon; head sock- Bolts 24 extend throughl the bolt sockets 22 of the adjacent gun unit,. so that the several gun units are bolted together on opposite sides of their respective cartridge bores. The bolts are preferably of the recessed head type.`

Each gun unit is provided 'with a pair of conductor cable ports respect to the plane of the steps 4. These ports are provided with'liners 26 cf insulating material. The ports 25 of the several gun units register with each other so as to provide two continuous passages the length of the completed gun perforator, formedby the gun units when they are stacked one on the other. Each conductor cable port, or passage thus formed, is-adapted to receive a conductor cable 21 which carries a plurality of conductors 28. The cable 21 is provided. opposite each gun unit, with an annular channel 29 in which is fitted a terminal ring 30 connected with one of the conductors. gasket i8 and seating plug i4', extends into -the conductor cable port and engages the contact ring. The

conductor cable 21 are relatively soft, but the cable, as a whole, is made stli enough that it can be inserted down the two passages formed by the several conductor cable ports and past the several conductor tongues, so that 'after the gun units have been assembled or stacked the conductor cables may be inserted to provide the proper electrical connections.

25 which are centered 'withv jacent gun unit; electrically responsive cartridges for -saidcartridge bores; and 'electrical conductors including leads clamped between said gun units and electrically connected with 'said cartridges.

4. A gun perforator-comprising: a plurality ci gun units, each being a short cylindrical section and having a'breech portion of major thickness and a barrel portion of minor thickness, said gun units adapted to be stacked with their barrel portions and breech portions staggered; each gun unit having a cartridge socket in its breech portion and a gun bore extending diametrically therefrom through said barrel.y

" The con- The lowermost gun unit is secured to a foot i piece 3l to facilitate guiding the tool into a well casing and the uppermost gun unit is secured to a head member `32, into vwhich the cable extends. rI he head member 32 is suitably connected to a selector mechanism (not shown) to an electric cable. The selector mechanism may be in the-nature of anordinary selector orfstepping switch for the purpose of connecting the several gun units in sequence through their respective conductors to a source of electrical energy. VSuch selector switch and supporting cable is, for the'purposes of this application, conventional.'. l A

, Various' changes and alternate arrangements may be made withinthe scope of the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claixn all novelty inherent in'the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.` l

1. A gun perforator comprising: a plurality of gun units in the fo'rm of cylindrical disks having a greater diameter than thickness, said cylindrical disks being stacked axially,'each gun unit having a laterally directed gun bore and an. ax- 4 ially directed cartridge bore,

each cartridge bore the adjacent gun unit;v4 and means for securingsaid gun units together in a manner to withstand explosive pressures.

being covered by 2. A gun perforator comprising: 'a pluralityof gun units,'ea-ch defining a radially directed gun bore and an axially directed cartridge bore intersecting an end of said gun unit, each gun unit formingA acover portion adapted to fltover and close the cartridge bore' of an adjacent gun -unit when said gun units are stacked.

comprising: a plurality of disk shape and adapted to '3. A gun perforator in stacked relation;

directed gun bore and anaxicomplementarystepped axial ends restraining said blocks against relative lateral movement, and each block dening a laterally directed gun bore-and an axially directed cartridgesocket,

said cartridge sockets being closed. by confronting ends of the adjacent blocks; electrically responsive cartridges for said sockets; -and conductor means including leads interposed between said blocks and electrically connectedwith said cartridges.

7. A gun perforator comprising: aplurality of gun units in 'the form of cylindrical blocks I stacked to form a composite column; said blocks having 'complementary stepped axial ends restraining said blocks against relative lateral movement, and each block dening a laterally directed gun bore and an axially directed cartridge socket, said cartridge sockets lbeing closed by confronting ends of the adjacent blocks; electrically responsive cartridges for said sockets; said gun lblecks dening a common axially extending paSSage; a 4condu'ctor cable fitting said passage; and leads interposed between said blocks and making electrical connection between said cable and said cartridges.

8. A gun perforatorlcomprisingf a plurality of gu'n units, `each being of disk shape and adapted to be stacked end to end; means for securing said gun units in stacked relation; each gun unit having alaterally directed gun bore andan vaxially directed cartridge bore covered by gun unit; electrically responsve cartridges for said cartridge bores; conductor leads clamped between said gun units and electrically Aconnected extendinginto said passage; a conductor cable extending through said passage; and separable connector means for electrically connecting said' -cable with said leads.

-9. A .gun perforator comprising: a plurality of gun unitsin the form of blocks, each having an axially directed cartridge bore and alaterally directed gun bore, said blocks adapted tol be stacked in such a manner that the cartridge 'A ,socket of each gun unit is sandwiched between the gun bore defining portions of adjacent gun units and covered thereby; and means for secur ing said gun units together .against explosive plurality of the adjacent A pressures that may be generated in said cartridge sockets.

10. A gun perforator construction, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said gun units are thickened axially at their cartridge socket deiining portions, and their gun bore dening portionsare complementarily reduced in axial thickness.

11. A gun perforator comprising: a plurality of gun units in the form of blocks, each having an axially directed cartridge bore and a laterally di-` rected gun bore, said blocks adapted to be stacked in such a manner that the cartridge socket of each gun unit is sandwiched between the gun bore dening portions of adjacent gun umts and covered thereby; means for securing said gun units together against explosive pressures that may be generated in said cartridge sockets said gun units defining a common axially extending passage; a conductor cable kfitting said passage; leads interposed between said gun units and electrically connected with said cable; and electrically responsive cartridges in said cartridge sockets connected with said leads.

12. A gun perforator construction, as set forth in claim 9, wherein saidgun units are thickened axially at their cartridge socket defining portions, and their gun bore dening portions are complementarily reduced in axial thickness; said gun units defining a common axially extending passage; a conductor'cable tting said passage; leads interposed between said gun-units and electrically connected with said cable; and electrlca1- ly responsive cartridges in said cartridge sockets connected with said leads.

13. A gun perforator comprising: a plurality of gun units, each deiining a radially directed gun bore and an axially directed cartridge bore intersecting one end of said gun unit, said gun units adapted to be stacked with the side of one gun unit closing the cartridge bore of the adjacent gun unit; and axially directed securing means extending between adjacent gun umts on either side of said cartridge bores to hold said gun units in sealing relation.

14. A gun perforator comprising: a plurality o! gun units, each defining a radially directed gun bore and an axially directed cartridge bore inter, secting one end of said gun unit, said gun units adapted to be stacked with the side of one -gun unit closing the cartridge bore of the adjacent gun unit; said gun units directed alternately in opposite directions, the gun bore of each being between the cartridge bore of the adjacent gun unit; and tie bolts on opposite sides of the gun bore of each gun unit extending therefrom into an adjacent gun unit on opposite sides of the cartridge bore of said adjacent gun unit.

LLOYD SPENCER. 

